Director of Communications and Involvement

We are inviting applications for the role of Director of Communications and Involvement on a 6-month fixed term contract.

The postholder is responsible for setting the strategic direction for how the organisationcommunicates and engages internally and externally. The role is part of the Executive Team,providing insight to support the organisation to communicate and involve well. The postholderprovides oversight of the Communication and Involvements Team's functions and delivery ofthem. You will have extensive experience in communications and involvement and worked at very senior level.

Main duties of the job

In this senior leadership role, the postholder will play a key role in protecting and enhancing NHS Kent and Medway and the NHS in Kent and Meway's reputation and embedding its narrative with staff and stakeholders.

As a member of the Executive Team, you will proactively profile and position NHS Kent and Medway, its ambitions and its achievements overseeing an approach to media and public affairs that builds awareness and support for our work to improve population health and reduce inequalities with a wide range of audiences.

You will be accountable for a proactive and reactive media service, delivering timely and accurate responses to incoming media enquiries, while proactively sharing positive news across corporate and system-owned channels and with media channels and publications.

You will strengthen the ICB's approach to public affairs, ensuring a coherent and joined-up approach to engaging stakeholders with key activity or programmes. This is particularly important for members of parliament and other elected officials representing their communities.

Please note, this vacancy does not meet the criteria for skilled worker sponsorship and therefore, we are unable to accept applications from candidates that cannot provide documentary evidence of right to work in the United Kingdom

About us

We are committed to a culture that supports all staff at NHS Kent and Medway to be the best version of themselves.

Our ability to improve outcomes for our population depends on how effectively clinical, operational, financial and strategic professionals work together to make informed commissioning decisions. That's why our workforce works a minimum of two days-a-week on-site, with the expectation that all one-to-ones are held face-to-face and that colleagues will regularly visit the services we are commissioning to understand more about them.

We believe regular on-site working supports stronger collaboration, faster problem-solving, peer learning, visible leadership and the integration of colleagues into our organisation. We also know that culture is built through shared experiences and day-to-day interactions.

We are a flexible working friendly organisation; we aim to support you to work flexibly in a way that will suit you and us.

We work with staff to agree objectives through regular supervision, annual appraisal and access to training opportunities.

Details

Date posted

15 October 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 9

Salary

£112,782 to £129,783 a year

pro rata, per annum

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

6 months

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

095-8347254-TS

Job locations

Gail House

Maidstone

ME15 6NB

United Kingdom

Job responsibilities

The job description and person specification gives you all the information you need about this role. Please look carefully at the criteria in the person specification and tell us what you have done that shows you meet this.

We can get a lot of applications for some roles so to be in with the best chance of being shortlisted please make sure you apply as soon as possible. A vacancy may close early if there is a lot of interest in the job.

If you need an application form in an alternative format please let our recruitment team know so they can help you with this.

All information you supply on your application should, to the best of your knowledge, be true and accurate.

Job responsibilities

The job description and person specification gives you all the information you need about this role. Please look carefully at the criteria in the person specification and tell us what you have done that shows you meet this.

We can get a lot of applications for some roles so to be in with the best chance of being shortlisted please make sure you apply as soon as possible. A vacancy may close early if there is a lot of interest in the job.

If you need an application form in an alternative format please let our recruitment team know so they can help you with this.

All information you supply on your application should, to the best of your knowledge, be true and accurate.

Person Specification

Values

Essential

• Shows collaborative approach across organisational and sector boundaries

Qualifications and Experience

Essential

• Good knowledge of the healthcare environment and roles and responsibilities within it, with a thorough understanding of current issues and challenges and the wider political and public sector context.
• Thorough understanding of the role and value of public affairs in a complex and evolving landscape.

Qualifications and Experience

Essential

• Substantial experience of delivering communications at senior practitioner level, within a public service environment.
• Substantial experience of giving professional advice and gaining the confidence and respect of senior colleagues and stakeholders, with the gravitas to provide challenge.
• Specialist knowledge over more than one discipline and function acquired over a significant period.
• Experience multiple communications disciplines, with in-depth professional knowledge of media management (proactive and reactive), public affairs, high-profile campaign development and delivery, internal communications and engagement and digital communications and public and stakeholder engagement.
• Experience of developing and delivering strategic communications and engagement plans, using a range of channels and tactics to effectively communicate and engage with internal and external audiences.

Person Specification

Values

Essential

• Shows collaborative approach across organisational and sector boundaries

Qualifications and Experience

Essential

• Good knowledge of the healthcare environment and roles and responsibilities within it, with a thorough understanding of current issues and challenges and the wider political and public sector context.
• Thorough understanding of the role and value of public affairs in a complex and evolving landscape.

Qualifications and Experience

Essential

• Substantial experience of delivering communications at senior practitioner level, within a public service environment.
• Substantial experience of giving professional advice and gaining the confidence and respect of senior colleagues and stakeholders, with the gravitas to provide challenge.
• Specialist knowledge over more than one discipline and function acquired over a significant period.
• Experience multiple communications disciplines, with in-depth professional knowledge of media management (proactive and reactive), public affairs, high-profile campaign development and delivery, internal communications and engagement and digital communications and public and stakeholder engagement.
• Experience of developing and delivering strategic communications and engagement plans, using a range of channels and tactics to effectively communicate and engage with internal and external audiences.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer details

Employer name

NHS Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board

Address

Gail House

Maidstone

ME15 6NB

United Kingdom

Employer's website

https://www.kentandmedway.icb.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

NHS Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board

Address

Gail House

Maidstone

ME15 6NB

United Kingdom

Employer's website

https://www.kentandmedway.icb.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)

Job responsibilities

The job description and person specification gives you all the information you need about this role. Please look carefully at the criteria in the person specification and tell us what you have done that shows you meet this.

We can get a lot of applications for some roles so to be in with the best chance of being shortlisted please make sure you apply as soon as possible. A vacancy may close early if there is a lot of interest in the job.

If you need an application form in an alternative format please let our recruitment team know so they can help you with this.

All information you supply on your application should, to the best of your knowledge, be true and accurate.

Values

Essential

• Shows collaborative approach across organisational and sector boundaries

Qualifications and Experience

Essential

• Good knowledge of the healthcare environment and roles and responsibilities within it, with a thorough understanding of current issues and challenges and the wider political and public sector context.
• Thorough understanding of the role and value of public affairs in a complex and evolving landscape.

Qualifications and Experience

Essential

• Substantial experience of delivering communications at senior practitioner level, within a public service environment.
• Substantial experience of giving professional advice and gaining the confidence and respect of senior colleagues and stakeholders, with the gravitas to provide challenge.
• Specialist knowledge over more than one discipline and function acquired over a significant period.
• Experience multiple communications disciplines, with in-depth professional knowledge of media management (proactive and reactive), public affairs, high-profile campaign development and delivery, internal communications and engagement and digital communications and public and stakeholder engagement.
• Experience of developing and delivering strategic communications and engagement plans, using a range of channels and tactics to effectively communicate and engage with internal and external audiences.